Jose Gonzalez: Vestiges & Claws
There is an almost uncomfortable intimacy to Jose Gonzalez’s indie-folk songs. The Swedish musician, who self-produced his new album partially in his kitchen, lays himself bare in the work, exposing deep emotional sentiments in both his vocal expression and sparse acoustic guitar work. Vestiges & Claws is Gonzalez’s first album since 2007 and the long-anticipated collection spans that many years of life experiences, which also leaves ample space for stylistic variation from song to song. “Every Age,” an echoing ballad, imbues the musician’s voice with wise gravity as he grapples with life’s nuances, while “With the Ink of a Ghost” showcases Gonzalez’s instinctual balance between gently plucked acoustic guitar and pensive lyrical poeticism. It’s a heavy experience, being let into someone’s world so openly, and this album doesn’t classify as a casual listen. But there’s a sense of relief in someone trusting his audience enough to fully let them in.